Project title and number:
ELVETE - Employer-Led Vocational Education and
Training in Europe.
Project number:
539154-LLP-1-2013-1-UK-LEONARDO-LNW
LLP logo and disclaimer
Partner name and country:
AICA – Associazione Italiana per l’Informatica ed il Calcolo
Automatico - Italy
Contents page:
Case study title and focus: VET Italian challenge: build network synergies.
General introduction
pg. 2
Historical approach and state of play. Italian economic and social context
pg. 3
The Italian framework of VET at upper secondary level
pg. 3
VET Calendar
pg. 9
Alternance training in Italy (ASL) and apprenticeship
pg. 9
Regional VET policies: Marche Region
-Case study 1: Loccioni Group
pg. 11
pg. 12
Regional VET policies: Lombardia Region
- Case study 2 “CMS Group” and case study 3 “ZEL” as “one best practice model”
pg. 19
pg. 21
Regional VET policies: Emilia Romagna Region
-Case study 4: Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
pg. 27
pg. 28
Reference to EU programmes/initiatives, funding streams
Evaluation- Statistics of Alternance training (ASL) in Italy
pg. 34
pg. 34
Italy strengths and weaknesses, areas of improvement
pg. 35
Bittor Arias Rodriguez contribution: Why do we like Loccioni Group?
pg. 38
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VET Italian challenge: build network synergies.
General introduction
This research aimed at explaining the carachteristics of a short-list of Italian case
studies of school-enterprise collaboration in the Vocational Education and Training
(VET) framework.
The 4 case studies are contestualized within the fragmented national and regional
VET legislation polices updated at November 2014.
The overall objective was to collect and present to ELVETE project partners, 5 best
practices that might be useful, in the European dialogue, to draw national
Guidelines to boost enterprise-school collaboration.
“The world of the school and the business world are using, since too much time,
different languages, concepts and words”, states an important educational
document of Marche Region (See. Pg. 11)
This open dialogue between national, regional and local stakeholders and the need
of mutual understanding between the business world and the school system has
the purpouse to boost the cooperation between two complementary
environments, both essentials for the youth educational and professional
development.
The most inspiring case study comes from “Gruppo Loccioni” an open knowledge
company based in a very sensitive context, of schoolwork open collaboration, that is
Marche region.
Another case study is “Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.” from Emilia Romagna region,
while in Lombardia region “CMS Group” and “ZEL” have been selected as “one best
practice model” within IT school sector.
Beside all the different suggestions that rise from the case studies, in the
conclusions we found that the development of competences is a lifelong matter that
could be described more like a living process, than an acquired state in which all the
civic society is involved.
Our research pointed out few highlights: interaction of human capital resources,
open dialogue, mutual understanding, networking, cooperation and shared
commitment, between school and work systems, may be fondamental tools to build
a culture of "networks synergies" to support employability and entrepreneurial
skills of youth population.
In the end we presented Bittor Arias Rodriguez’s paper entitled “Why do we like
Loccioni Group?” .
2
Historical approach and state of play. Italian economic and social context.
Italy has been hit hard by the economic and financial crisis. Italian jobless rate
increased to 13.2% in October 2014 involving 3.41 million persons.
It is the highest rate on record since the 1970s. Youth unemployment rate rose to
43.3 % in October 2014. Moreover, the percentage of NEETs, which was 23.9% in
2012, reached 26% in 2013 (See: Unemployment Rate in Italy monitor 2014 www.istat.it).
Italy is among the EU Member States where manufacturing still makes up a
considerable share of its economy, especially in the north and the centre of the
country. Data on employment confirm Italy's manufacturing focus: 25.7% are
employed in industry. Nationally, 95% of private enterprises have fewer than 10
employees, while in the South; there is an average of 2.3 employees.
In recent years Italy has made some progress in improving the outcomes of its
education system, however, it continues to lag behind most EU countries in terms
of human capital formation and financial investment.
General government expenditure on education as a share of GDP
corresponding to 4.2% in 2012 is among the lowest in the EU, especially at tertiary
level. The government estimates general government expenditure on education
will decrease to 3.6% in 2015 (See: Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance (2013), Italy’s
Draft Budgetary Plan 2014).
The Italian framework of VET at upper secondary level
VET in Italy is characterised by multilevel governance with broad involvement of
national, regional and local stakeholders. Ministries of Labour and Education
define the general framework and policies.
Regions and autonomous provinces are in charge of providing vocational
programmes and most apprenticeship-type schemes.
From a European perspective the term “education and training” comprises all
types and levels of general education and vocational education and training (VET).
In Italy, the term vocational education and training tends to be “reserved” for
specific programmes called leFP (Istruzione e Formazione Professionale) primarily
3
under the Ministry of Labour’s and the regions’ and autonomous provinces’ remit.
In the present national law compulsory education lasts 10 years, up to the age of
16, but young people have the ‘right/duty’ to accomplish at least 12 years before
they are 18, having the compulsory requirement to achieve a qualification or a
diploma 1 (see: http://www.istruzione.it/urp/obbligo_scolastico.shtml).
The choice between general education and VET is usually made at age 14. At
this stage, learners sit a state exam to acquire a certificate (EQF level 1), which
grants admission to the upper secondary level.
leFP are managed by School or training Center in their design, implementation and
evaluation, while technical and vocational school programmes are considered to be
part of the “education system” under the Ministry of Education’s remit.
At upper secondary level, the following VET programmes are available:
(a) Five-year programmes at technical schools (istituti tecnici), to prepare for
technical and administrative jobs, and at vocational schools (istituti
professionali) to prepare for carrying out qualified tasks in the production
industry.
They combine general education and VET. Graduates have access to higher
education and acquire qualifications at EQF level 4.
Technical institutes offer courses in economics and technology sectors.
Economics-based courses are organised in the following branches of study:
•
•
Management, finance and marketing
Tourism
1
see: http://www.istruzione.it/urp/obbligo_scolastico.shtml
Obbligo scolastico: “E' obbligatoria l'istruzione impartita per almeno 10 anni, finalizzata a consentire il
conseguimento di un titolo di studio di scuola secondaria superiore o di una qualifica professionale di durata almeno
triennale entro il diciottesimo anno d'eta'. Nell'attuale ordinamento l'obbligo di istruzione riguarda la fascia di eta'
compresa tra i 6 e i 16 anni. …”
L’adempimento dell’obbligo scolastico e disciplinato dalle seguenti leggi:
- Circolare Ministeriale 30/12/2010, n. 101, che, all’art. 1 dispone che "nell’attuale ordinamento l’obbligo di
istruzione riguarda la fascia di eta compresa tra i 6 e i 16 anni.".
- Decreto Ministeriale 22 Agosto 2007, n. 139, art. 1: "L’istruzione obbligatoria e impartita per almeno 10 anni e si
realizza secondo le disposizioni indicate all'articolo 1, comma 622, della legge 27 dicembre 2006, n. 296".
- legge 27 dicembre 2006, n. 296, articolo 1, comma 622: "L’istruzione impartita per almeno dieci anni e obbligatoria
ed e finalizzata a consentire il conseguimento di un titolo di studio di scuola secondaria superiore o di una qualifica
professionale di durata almeno triennale entro il diciottesimo anno d’eta".
4
Technology-based courses are organised in the following branches of studies:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Mechanics and energy
Transport and logistics
Electronics and electrical engineering
ICT and telecommunications
Design and communication
Chemistry, biotechnology
Fashion design
Agriculture, food and agriculture, agroindustry
Construction, environment
(b) Three-to four-year VET programmes organised by the regions (istruzione e
formazione professionale, IeFP). These modular programmes aim at developing
basic, transversal and technical-occupational skills and include on-the-job training
(especially internships). Learners can change areas of study through recognition of
credits. Qualifications at EQF levels 3 and 4 are recognised nationally.
Vocational institutes offer courses for the service sector and for the industry and
crafts sector.
Courses for the service sector are provided in the following branches of
specialisation:
•
•
•
•
Services for agriculture and the development of rural areas
Social and health services
Hotel and catering
Commerce
Courses for industry and crafts are provided in the following branches of
specialisation:
•
•
Industrial and craft products
Maintenance and technical assistance
(c) Three- to four-year apprenticeship-type scheme offers qualifications at EQF
levels 3 and 4. Apprenticeship includes both on-the-job and classroom training and
the minimum entry age is 15.
In the following pages, Table 2 and Table 3 describe the main differences between
the two VET pathways, respectively the first one, run by the State, and the second
one run by the Regions. Table 4 describes VET in Italy’s education and training
system.
5
Tab. 2. VET programs run by the State.
6
Tab. 3. VET programs run by the Regions.
7
Tab. 4. VET in Italy’s education and training system (ISCED-11). 2
2
see: Cedefop, in cooperation with ReferNet Italy.
http://www.google.it/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&ved=0CCoQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Fww
w.cedefop.europa.eu%2Ffiles%2F4132_en.pdf&ei=KjWLVIzXJIKuPImigKAE&usg=AFQjCNFjafqnHtqDXn9BI2_C
hy6cWSSmaA&bvm=bv.81828268,d.ZWU
8
VET Calendar
The Regions are responsible for defining the school calendar in line with the needs
of their local area. Schools can adjust the school calendar established by the
Regions, defining the curricular, extra-curricular, educational and organisational
projects of each school.
Schools have the autonomy to organise in a flexible way the overall and
single-subject timetable. There is a minimum of 200 teaching days in a year,
distributed over 33 weeks.
The timetable for activities and teaching that are specific to each branch of
specialisation accounts for 396 hours (approximately 12 hours a week) in the first
and second grade and 561 hours (approximately 17 hours a week) in the last three
grades.
The overall number of teaching hours on courses organised by training agencies
ranges between 2900 and 3600 hours for the entire three-year period.
The average time devoted to the acquisition of competencies ranges with
significance difference in each school and for the work-based training is left only a
residual share:
• 35-45% of the overall timetable is planned for general cultural competences;
• 45-50 % is devoted to the technical-vocational specialist area;
• 5-20 % of the residual time goes towards work experience and integrated
activities.
Alternance training in Italy (ASL) and apprenticeship
In the area of VET, alternance training in Italy is mainly intended in the framework of
education and vocational training as a tool for guidance and assistance to enter the
labour market with poor impact till now, on professional skills outcome.
The schoolwork alternance (ASL) has been introduced with the Law decree n°. 53 of
28 March 2003 (See: Gazzetta Ufficiale, general series No 77, 2.4.2003, pp.6-20).
The Legislative Decree n. 77 / 2005 explains that “ students over fifteen [..] can
choose and apply for completing their […] educational period from 15 to 18 or part
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of it, by alternating periods of study and work, under the school or VET provider‘s
responsibility”.
The school is responsible for the design, organization and control of short
internship periods, during school time through specific agreements with enterprises
as well as public and private institutions.
The paths in alternation should be subject to verification and evaluation by the
educational institution, that should certify the skills acquired by students, but in the
present law regulation, there is no assestment tool to verfy the quality of the tools
implemented.
In order to increase the minimum levels of competence and decrease dropouts, a
special attention is paid to the development of cooperation between all the VET
actors also through the promotion of local networks and the development of the
relationship between schools and enterprises, especially through the training
apprenticeship.
The law Decree n.35/2012 and the recents reforms include:
• Laboratory Approach
• School- Work Alternance
• Simulated Enterprise Project (IFS -Impresa Formativa Simulata)
• EQF
The June 2014 Decree-law on education DM n. 473 of the 17/06/2014, signed
by the Ministry of Education, University and Research, by the Ministry of Economy
and Finance and the Ministry of Wealfare, introduced a pilot project for 2014-2016
allowing students in the last two years of upper secondary education to participate
in on-the-job training periods in companies, using apprenticeship contracts.
The implementing decree was adopted in June 2014 and the pilot project has
started in the 2014-15 school year.
For technical institutes and professional schools, is forseen a maximum of 396
hours of apprentices training that will be evaluated and certified as credits for the
admission to the State Examination.
Trying to improve the outcomes of its education system, in September 2014 the
government announced another set of guidelines for a school reform, (“La buona
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scuola') and the government planned to adopt the proposed measures through a
decree-law by January 2015, including important proposed measures on the
teaching profession.
Special attention is given to the Youth Guarantee Implementation Plan, "Piano di
attuazione italiano della Garanzia per i Giovani" presented in December 2013.
The recently published Job Act (Law n. 78/2014) aimes at including measures to
boost employment and simplifyng bureaucracy for enterprises. It also includes
initiatives to foster short-term and apprenticeship contracts.
From January 2014, all certifications of qualifications obtained in Italy have to make
reference to the corresponding European Qualifications Framework level (EQF).
In line with the 2012 labour market reforms, in January 2013, legislative decree n.
13/2013 set up a national system to certify skills, including identifying and
recognising non-formal and informal learning.
Regional VET policies: Marche Region
Since 2003, Marche Region has demonstarted a long tradition in schoolwork
cooperation.
The 2012 ASL Guidelines, aimed at fostering school and enterprise collaboration,
show the commitment to support a mutual interaction with the economic sector
to develop a culture of "networks synergies"
http://www.marche.istruzione.it/allegati/2012/LINEEGUIDA2012-20mag2012.pdf
The need of a mutal understanding, between the business world and the school
system is described as essential for the cooperation between two complementary
environments, both of them essential for the youngsters educational and
professional development.
“….The world of the school and the business world are using, since too much time,
different languages, concepts and words…”.
”…The school, like the enterprise, is a "community of people". Both have at the
center, the human resource, for this reason they must dialog, understand each other
and work together. Both entities work for a social purpose: the school for the culture
11
and education…. and the company for the professionalism, the employment and the
wealth creation… “
To foster the mutual understanding between the two environment systems, the
renewed 2012 ASL Guidelines include a very interesting and comprehensive
glossary of business concept for the schoolteachers and a glossary of educational
terms for the company.
Skills and competence concepts are two examples of terms explained in the
glossaries.
Case study 1 title and focus: Loccioni Group. Marche Region
Main activities/sectors: Loccioni Group develops complex measurement systems in
five different business areas: Mobility, Energy, Environment, Industry and
Humancare.
Size of company: around 400 people (average age 32)
Website: http://www.loccioni.com/
Contact person and role: Maria Paola Palermi- Communication Manager
Email address: mp.palermi@loccioni.com
When interviews took place: 03/10/2014
How did you select the company: Mr. Claudio Gentili, the Director of the
Educational Division of Confindustria
(the Italian employers’ federation and
chamber of commerce), recommended Loccioni Group, during the first Elvete
meeting in Rome held with AICA representative on the 8th of April 2014.
Who carried out the interview: Francesca Alfano- AICA project researcher
Information on the implementation of the selected project in the company:
Loccioni Group
Loccioni Group is an open knowledge base company that has always been active in
nourishing local interactions with the socio economic system, with a privilege
12
interest in human capital development and investment.
Its success is fostered through networking interaction; “because people are the
greatest value” has always stated Graziella Rebichini and Enrico Loccioni …”people
are at the center of all our success (or failures), they are our most important
assets.”
Team working at Loccioni Group is mixed and cross with dialogue with no
hierarchies: internal collaborators, university students and customers work
together to develop ideas and projects, following the vocation of “Open Company”.
The investment in building networking interactions, together with the priority given
to the development of human capital, brought Loccioni Group to create a solid an
fluid interaction with the whole local system of educational stakeholders and
Schools of primary and upper secondary level and Universities.
Table 5. Shows the three education and training Areas promoted by Loccioni Group
in their lifelong learning business model.
BLUZONE includes “English Camp”, “Classe Virtuale” and “Grow On Loccioni.”
English Camp, is a week organized every summer, dedicated to the collaborators’
children, who come to the headquarters with their parents and participate in
recreational and educational activities designed especially for them.
“Classe Virtuale” is targeted to 18ys technical students and “Grow On Loccioni”, is a
project involving, each year, 12 students selected among the best enrolled in the
second year University course in Economics and Engineer, includes training,
mentoring and project work.
13
REDZONE is connected with Loccioni employees management and training. The aim
is to develop everyone’s potential and let the Group grow throughout people’s
enforcement.
SILVERZONE is a virtual area in which experienced people over 65, coming from
valuable professional positions, share their knowledge with Loccioni employees
through esteem and trustful relations.
Silverzone involves researchers, consultants, professors and managers of important
industrial sectors who have achieved great results during their professional life.
SPIN-OFF: “Avvia l’impresa” (“Start your enterprise”).
Since 1968 more than 80 employees have successfully started their own business,
helped by Loccioni Group.
It is not seen as a loss because, giving them the possibility to develop their business
ideas, the Group earn a better and more motivated partner.
∑n BLUZONE- “Virtual Class”, a bridge between school and work.
“Virtual Class” is an interesting opportunity for students of the 4th year of upper
secondary schools to experiment a bridge between school and work.
It’s a consolidated partnership between Loccioni Group and technical educational
institutions, started in 2001 when the enterprise began offering to young students
training periods and internships, giving the students a chance to work on projects,
based on real world problems, together with very skilled people and technicians.
Every year “Classe Virtuale” promotes and enables personal and professional
growth of 28 students involving them in a multidisciplinary collaboration
experience for the development of theoretical, technical and project management
skills. Since today more than 350 students have been hosted in the company.
In 2001 the project started from the collaboration with the upper technical institute
TIS “G. Marconi” in Ancona Province. In 2010, the project opened to new
collaborations with other three Technical Schools: “Volterra-Elia”, “A. Merloni” and
“E. Divini” .
In Virtual Class a technical project and the management of an ad-hoc budget is
assigned to the youngsters offering them the opportunity to face a specific
“challenge”. The training activity is activated during afternoon meetings with the
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students, from January to May.
Later the students undertake an internship of three weeks in Loccioni Group, aimed
at stimulating innovative solutions and technological instrument designed to
promote the analysis of local and concrete issues.
An example of this multidisciplinary collaboration experience is represented by the
(See
2013
internship
project
“People
Meter
http://blog.arduino.cc/2013/09/01/arduino-at-school-people-meter/ )
The students worked in interconnected team-groups, made up of 3 to 6 students
from different technical institutes with different school backgrounds, focused on
one common “challenge”.
Each group had a specific role in the project: i.e techical guide, control
management, communication team, electronic team, informatic team and
mechanic team.
This project management approach, gave the students the possibility to detect,
adopt measure, correct simultaneously and face problems in a dynamic and
interconnected team networking activity that enables the students to solve the
problems with unexpected emerging solutions.
The company trainers lead the process leaving the youngster to step up the dialog
and overcome the problems.
The feedback and the dissemination activity of the project results are taken into
special account.
At the end of the internship, the students present the project results/products
through a public meeting to their families, teachers, Loccioni Group employees and
local representative institutions. The public meeting is a crucial step of the project,
planned and managed by the students themselves, with a specific budget provided
by Loccioni Group for this specific activity (communication and dissemination
leaflets, small catering etc).
Moreover the students are asked to disseminate their first-hand experience and
results trought web media in the company website and in Arduino’s blog.
For more informations about 2012 project “Flow meter” see:
http://blog.arduino.cc/2012/07/10/schools-projects-with-arduino-flow-meter/
15
Joint design/planning of training path: Please describe whether and how did the
company take part in the definition of training objectives and training path.
As described for the projects “Flow meter and People meter” the training objectives
are leaded by the company and based on real world/business problems, in
accordance with the school to develop theoretical, technical and project
management skills and competeces.
Students’ Skills:
The most important skills and competences for the company are oulined in “2 KM
OF FUTURE- the enterprise to seed beauty” the recent book that describes the
company values and business model.
“…the path to “intra-entrepreneurship” can be simplified in four steps intended to
develop:
− knowledge: it is cultural background attained at school and enriched at work
− knowhow: it is the application of knowledge to specific work
− command: it is the manager’s competence, delegation, trust in the team
− communication: it is the ability to valorize and communicate one’s value, the
value of one’s team and of the work done.
“(…..) When a talented developer or researcher gets to the point of “command”,
they have to employ other competences, and the school does not teach this.
Creating a team, managing it, motivating, discovering the talents of the others,
risking imperfection or even failure just to have trusted them are issues that go
beyond the professional activity of developers and researchers, and it is necessary to
help the people develop these skills and understand that personal growth is possible
through the growth of the others.
This is why we invest in the managerial development of people and offer it to
everyone, from interns (through the “Virtual Class” project) to senior year students
who are developing their degree thesis and newcomers who are at the beginning of
their working adventure”.
In “2 KM OF FUTURE- the enterprise to seed beauty” it is possible to find the
company definition of “talented peple” :
− They have logical and emotional intelligence. They have self-control on occasions
of high organizational turbulence;
16
−They show great will and express strong energy and commitment with a high
sense of responsibility;
−They have planning and final forecast abilities;
− They are curious, imaginative and careful to the interlocutor with whom they
always share mutual understanding;
− They clearly influence any event thanks to their leadership and spirit of initiative;
− They devote part of their time to acquire new notions, experiment with new
behavioral patterns and test their willingness and ability to face new challenges”.
Implementation: relations company-VET provider during project implementation
During the project implementation the students are autonomous, leaded by the
professional company tutors, and the person in charge for the relation whith the
Technical schools reports weekly to the teachers about the ongoing process and
results of the student experiences.
The teachers from the four Technical schools as well come to the company
premises to visit the students and share feedbacks.
How it is financed
The project “Classe Virtuale” is completely financed with the enterprise private
funds. The students are requested only to cover travel expenses to reach the
company.
SWOT Analysis:
•
Strengths:
- Solid and dinamic interaction with the regional education system since
14 years
- Strong reputation of the company and large autonomy in planning
objectives, work methodologies and management of the intership
projects offered to schools students
- Investment in the development of human capital
- Investment in equipments and ad hoc laboratories.
17
•
•
•
Weaknesses:
- The company has faced the logistic problems to host 28 students
simultanuously through the investment in new premises locations
- Financial efforts to create dedicated laboratory areas for the hosting
groups.
Opportunities:
- The pioneering activity of human capital investment with young students
can produce emerging and innovation solutions to projects based on real
world and business challenges.
Threats:
- The Company prefers to invest in the school projects with private funds to
limit burocracy and time spending with “institutional” ASL paths.
Key messages and recommendations:
•
•
•
•
Lifelong learning approach (See: Bluzone-Redzone-Silverzone-Spin-off)
Open knowledge company
Time and financial investment in development of human capital
Dynamic feedback and open interaction with the local community,
especially with the education system
• Schoolwork projects based on real world/business problems and analysis of
local and concrete issues
• Multidisciplinary and collaborative teamwork interactions offered to
students
• Communicational and relational skills to disseminate results to the
education local community, families and schools networks.
18
Regional VET policies: Lombardia Region
In the last years, institutional Bodies of Lombardia Region assigned an important and
strategic role to schoolwork training projects, as ASL paths and apprenticeship.
The Legislative Decree n. 167/2011 focusses on apprenticeship aimed to young
people who have to fulfill the compulsory education and training period.
A forum for discussion is offered for alternating schoolwork operators, in order to
stimulate the comparison of experiences, and to facilitate communication between
the different schools and between schools and companies (See www.requs.it).
The Coordination Group for ASL projects (Gruppo di coordinamento dei progetti di
alternanza scuola-lavoro) is seated at the Regional School Direction, formed by the
institutes engaged in the ASL experimentation, Formaper in representation of
UnionCamere, Assolombarda that is part of Confindustria (Italian Entrepreneurial
Association) and the Quality Pole of Milan.
The Coordination Group drew a “Guideline for ASL paths” in which the essential
success elements, for the ASL learning path, are outlined:
1- Presence of an agreement between the parties (school and enterprise) to
ensure the instructional support to the individual who learns;
The agreement is divided into different levels:
- Programmatic (definition of objectives and actions),
- Organizational, planning, implementation, control of the learning
outcomes,
- Assessment and certification of acquired skills;
2- Informations flow management between the different contexts and actors.
3- Joint design of the entire path of the activities in the classroom and in the
company, shared, and validated by the different subjects that cooperate
including the learning student.
4- Sharing tools and policy for the control and evaluation of procedures for the
treatment of any disfunctioning and adjust procedures.
Lombardia Region identified 4 types of ASL projects, in relation to which the various
competencies should be achieved:
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1. Guidance paths
2. Information paths
3. Paths oriented to organizational learning
4. Professionalizing paths aimed at the acquisition of specific practical skills.
In the recent Regional Decree n° 12550 of the 20/12/2013 the “attachement A”
specifies the criteria and the general rules for the assessment and evaluation of all
the learning outcomes that are established independently by the school institutions
and collectively by teams of teachers in the definition of the School POF (Piano
dell’Offerta Formativa, the plan of the offering training).
A strong support to ASL paths implementation comes from Assolombarda.
Approximately 5.000 firms, located in the Provinces of Milan, Lodi, Monza and
Brianza are associated to Assolombarda, which is the largest territorial association of
the entire entrepreneurial system in the country.
In 2000, Assolombarda lauched the project ”Reti di Imprese”: the development of
business networks for the relaunch of technical education.
The “business networks” gather people from the business sector, school teachers
and university professors to work together to understand which are the most
important skills needed from business sectors and how they can be developed by
schoolwork training.
In 2010, Scientific and Technical Committees “Comitati Tecnici Scientifici” (CTS) were
created, to strenghen the collaboration between thecnical schools and enterprises.
The demand for professional expertise in the school system makes the participation
of entrepreneurs in CTS particularly productive.
Regarding Lombardia regional funds, for the school year 2014- 2015 for the
alternating school work paths, a fixed amount has been assigned to each educational
institution, depending on the type of studies, and to each student of III, IV and V
classes, as follow:
 PER CAPITA SHARE TECHNICAL INSTITUTES € 28.83
 PER CAPITA SHARE PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTES € 12.91
20
 PER CAPITA SHARE LICEI € 8.80
With the guidance of Assolombarda representatives, AICA got in touch with
enterprises and select 2 case studies of company–school engagement:“CMS Group”
and “ZEL” that will be described later.
Case study 2 “CMS Group” and case study 3 “ZEL” described as “one best practice
model”
General introduction:
The two companies “CMS Group” and “ZEL”, gathered in “one best practice model”,
have been selected to demonstrate a strong commitment of different
stakeholders in Lombardia Region that in the last few years are creating a
promising alliance system of good practices for schoolwork training paths,
between small companies and upper technical schools.
The collaboration between the Technical School ITIS MATTEI and the two
companies started in 2013. The school- traininig projects are a result of a shared
commitment by the Technical School in the person of the School President, the
teacher Giovanna Cerchioni, active member of Assolombarda team for the
Informatic Area, the two companies, and the Regional School Office.
What are their main activities/sectors of CMS Group:
The CMS Group Cash Management Systems, was created in Milan in 1997. The
company develops a large experience in the treatment of money and security,
development and distribution of verifiers of banknotes and the distribution of
equipment for cash management.
Size of company: 10 employees
Website: http://www.cms-group.it/index.php
Contact person and role: Giuseppe Storniolo –Company General Manager
Email address: <g.storniolo@cms-group.it>
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What are their main activities/sectors of ZEL:
In business since 1986, ZEL is a company providing computer related services and
solutions to the industry.
ZEL’s expertise spans across team workplace collaboration, web conferencing,
comprehensive messaging & Portal solutions software to suit mid-market to large
customers alike. The company provides infrastructure support services, system
integration and hosting capabilities, alongside planning, development and
deployment of custom applications and out-of-the-box software solutions.
A major focus is recently being extended to BPM and Document
management/archiving solutions, NoSQL based analytics for Big Data and data
integrity and security services and technologies, available both on premises and in
the cloud.
Size of company: 25 employees.
Website: http://www.zel.it/
Contact person and role: Fabio Longone – Managing Partner of the enterprise
Email address: Fabio.Longone@zel.it
When interview of t took place: 13/10/2014 for both companies
How did you select the companies:
CMS Group and ZEL have been selected as best practices, among the companies
engaged in the project "Enterprises’ Network- sector " promoted by Assolombarda,
the Association of Industrialists of the provinces of Milan, Lodi, Monza and Brianza
(Lombardy Region).
Who carried out the interview: Francesca Alfano –AICA project researcher
Information on the implementation of the selected programme/project in the
company:
22
The model developed between the two companies and the technical school, is an
interesting collaboration – that can offer two type of paths:
1. Activation of "extra-curricular" traineeships for recent graduated students
(graduated since 3-6 months);
2. Activation of curricular traineeships in the 3rd, 4th and 5th classes (17-18-19ys
old)
The traineeships curricula can vary in lengh, and could be from 80- to 320 hours per
student, including:
• 2-3 weeks full-time during school period
• 2-3 afternoons each week for 6 months
• 2 or more weeks in the summer period (from June to September).
Relationship company-training agency/VET provider and management of incoming
students:
The collaboration of CMS Group with the school ITIS Mattei started in 2013 and last
year involved 6 students. In the same year ZEL hosted 9 students.
Both companies created a collaborative cooperation protocol with the school in the
IT area that enable students with the opportunity to work as programmers in the
design of industrial systems and telecommunications.
Joint design/planning of training path:
The desing and planning ot the training path for both companies came from a tight
collaboration between the school teachers and the representatives of the two
enterprises, even if the projects are activated by the school.
Both companies’ engagement had an impact on the curriculum development as
the school and company representative planned together the theoretical and
practical issues to be taught in school classes and during the company training.
In particular, CMS Group company tutors, demonstated to be sensitive and capable
of detecting and exploiting short time activities appropriate to the abilities of the
different students involved each time, allowing them to directly see and take active
role in the real company business process, through the development of real
business products under the continuous supervision of company tutors.
23
The training experience, in CMS Group, ranges from the project design, to the
realization of various technical components to the hardware construction and
the project implementation of the software system.
Moreover, CMS Group is available to activate for the hosted students, innovative
projects with weak constraints in relation to the actual possibility of realization.
ZEL company gave interesting suggestions for the training/updating of the teachers
at school. The company developed a “Training Tablet”, a software product to
support classroom lessons. Training Tablet is a classroom software application
which transfers digital content between the trainer and the course attendees to
administer tests, questionnaires, surveys etc., allowing for real time assessments.
Another added value of ZEL collaboration is that during the alternance-work
experience, the students came in contact with ZEL’s customers, (business realities
different and larger e.g. Class publishers, Lombardia Informatica, Borsa, Sky,
Bitzmatica …)
Another valuable contribution to the educational value of the training projects in
ZEL is that they made available for the students some of the training courses
planned for their employees.
Implementation: Relation’s company-VET provider during project implementation
During the implementation of the training experience, the schoolteachers and the
company’s tutors are in contact through email, phone calls or teacher ‘s visists once
a week.
Both the companies tutors and the school teachers fill the same online document
and use a share electronic registry trough “google drive” to monitor the ongoing
project of each student.
SWOT Analysis:
•
Strengths:
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- The partnership among the two selected companies and the technical
school demonstrate a strong commitment of different stakeholders in
Lombardia Region
- Good collaboration between the companies tutors and the school
teachers, in the planning an management of objectives
- The companies allow the students to be active in the real company
business process. From design to development of new products.
- The students benefit from additional training courses planned for the
companiy’s employees.
•
Weaknesses:
- The small size of the two companies, limits the number of students
that can be engaged each year
- Training assessment tools are still under development. As discuss
earlier, the Regional Decree n° 12550 of the 20/12/2013 reserves to
the school the responsability for developing the learning outcomes
assessment and evaluation tools are still to be adopted.
•
Opportunities:
- A three-year training path is not yet defined but the enterprises and
teachers commitment are elaborating multiannual projects that will
involve students from 17 to 19 years old.
•
Threats:
- The training projects design and management are mostly dependent
on the schoolteachers and on the enterprises tutors personal efforts. A
stable system has to be settled in future years.
Students’ Skills:
The training path in the two companies give the students the opportunity to
experience hands on technical skills in the area of IT and technology according to
25
each student knowledge and competences level.
Trasversal skill are mostly focused and developed in ZEL company.
Cooperation company-VET institute/training agency on other projects/initiatives:
Both companies have activated "extra-curricular" traineeships for recent (3 to 6
months) graduated students.
Key messages and recommendations:
• Establisment of a promising collaboration system between the companies,
the Regional School Office, the Technical school and the Enterprises’
Network- sector " of Assolombarda.
• Collaborative school-company interaction in the project planning and
implementation
• Active engagement of the students in the design and development of new
products
• Dinamic feedback interaction with the school teachers and the company
tutors regarding school and in company training, including teacher’s
updating.
• Multiannual projects planning.
Regional VET policies: Emilia Romagna Region
26
Emilia-Romagna Region has outlined a strategy for action aimed at boosting a closer
relationship between provision of training and human capital qualification
requirements.
The policy, that has been implemented since 2010 covered the whole area of
education and research, aimed at the acquisition of a vocational qualification, up to
PhD courses. The result is a new educational infrastructure, established in liaison
with social partners, based on inter-institutional cooperation and integration
between training providers and enterprises.
The Regional Law n. 5/2011 introduced the new EaVT - Education and Vocational
Training system: three-year- long courses based on the cooperation of Vocational
training providers with Regional accreditation and national Vocational Schools.
The new system is intended to prevent and reduce school dropout, by creating
flexible career paths, which can re-motivate, strengthen and guide young people.
At the end of the three-year-long course, with the achievement of a vocational
qualification, young people are ready to access to the labour market but they can
also study further to attain higher levels of education.
The ASL Guideline for school year 2014-2015 outlines specific characteristcs of the
ASL projects, among which are described:
- Projects that represent integration "models" of public-private and provide the
collaboration with firms characterized by a high level of internationalisation,
operating on strategic technology areas for our country (energy efficiency,
sustainable mobility, new technologies, new technologies for the made in Italy,
innovative technologies for the cultural heritage and the tourism)
- Minimum number of 15 students involved
- Minimum of 120 hours (for professional and technical institutes)
- Only one project for a maximum of 10 classes
- Maximum funding, for one project of 10 classes, is € 4,000.00 for the technical
and vocational education.
Regarding ASL financial funds, the PER CAPITA SHARE in Emilia Romagna is in line
with Lombardia Regional investment corrisponding to an evarage of € 28.83 for each
student of technical institute.
A very interesting training project is DESI (Dual Education System Italy). It is signed
by the agreements between the Regional School Systems, together with Ducati
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Motor Holding SpA, Automobili Lamborghini SpA and the technical institute
“Aldini Valeriani Sirani” of Bologna, for the 2014/2015 and 2015/2016 school year.
detailed in next chapter.
-Case study 4: Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A.
Main activities/sectors: Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A. is an Italian motorcycle
manufacturer founded in 1926 that has its headquarters in Bologna; Ducati Corse is
part of it, which is the department that manages the competitions of the official
teams of Ducati Motor Holding SpA, within Ducati Corse are designed and built race
bikes and created new software for the electronic management of the motorcycle.
Size of company: The Ducati group employs over 1.000 employees, of which the
majority is organic at the parent company.
Sales of motorcycles Ducati have spread worldwide and are made primarily through
its subsidiaries. The main markets, in order, are: Italy, USA, France and Japan; Italy
and the United States thus account for almost 50% of the total turnover.
Website: www.ducati.com
Contact person and role: - Dr.ssa Elena Ugolini
"Fisica in Moto" Coordinator Fondazione Ducati
Email address: eugolini@liceomalpighi.bo.it
When interview took place: 06 October 2014
How did you select the company: Ducati Motor Holding S.p.A and its “Physics in
motion” (Fisica in Moto Laboratory) was recommended by Mr. Claudio Gentili,
Director of Confindustria for Education- (the Italian employers’ federation and
chamber of commerce) during the first Elvete meeting in Rome held with AICA
representative on the 8th of April 2014.
Who carried out the interview: Francesca Alfano –AICA project researcher
Information on the implementation of the selected programme/project:
Ducati Foundation offers to students two educational experience: “Fisica in Moto
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Summer School” and “Fisica in Moto laboratory”.
“Fisica in Moto laboratory” is an innovative educational physics laboratory
(http://www.ducati.it/fisica_in_moto.do) dedicated to high school students created
through the collaboration of the Fondazione Ducati and the Liceo Malpighi
(Malpighi High School) in Bologna.
The purpose of the laboratory, the only one of its kind, is to build a bridge between
schools and businesses through the experience of science and technology
museums.
The laboratory “Fisica in Moto” addresses 14-19 years old students, it does not
want to replace classroom teaching, but
complements and supports, making the physics
principles and concepts more familiar and easier
to understand.
With specially designed interactive equipment
inside the laboratory, it is possible to do physical experiments regarding the physics
principals studied at school and discover the link between these and the design of a
Ducati MotoGP motorcycle.
To effectively learn, students must be passionate about what is in front of them.
This is why students are invited to use interactive equipment and experiment,
question and then discover how fascinating and tangible the formulas that they
normally see printed on the pages of textbooks actually are.
To achieve this goal, the laboratory is structured in three rooms: a special Ducati
workshop, an innovative scientific laboratory and the Ducati Corse room, where
students challenge each other in a real Physic MotoGP. The laboratory is located
inside the Ducati factory to emphasize the link between theory and practice.
The training objective of this first room is to stimulate curiosity and questions.
Ducati does not want to provide preconceived answers, but rather help students
discover, through experience and observation, explanations of various phenomena
that occur.
The second room is an innovative scientific laboratory where it is possible to learn
more about the characteristics of the principles of physics using five pieces of
29
equipment that have been custom-designed by Ducati’s engineers ad highly
qualified suppliers.
After concluding the experience through the three different rooms of the
laboratory, a visit to the Ducati factory is scheduled to give students the chance to
see, first hand, how the principles of physics are transformed through the work of
technicians and factory workers into bikes that are admired on streets throughout
the world.
Use of the laboratory is free for schools.
The other program, the “Fisica in Motor Summer School”, is supported by the
Scientific Degrees National Plan
(http://www.progettolaureescientifiche.eu/),
promoted by the Ministry of Education, University and Research in collaboration
with Confindustria and the National Conference of Deans of the Faculty of Science
and Technology.
The summer school offers, to a group of deserving students with outstanding
scientific predispositions, the opportunity to experience the theoretical study and
practical application of physics with the motorcycle, directly within the company.
Fisica in Motor Summer School is a three days training experience during the
month of July and involves 25 students. During the school, the students are divided
into groups, and participate to the following activities:
- Lectures and seminars with experts in the field of physics of the motorcycle
- Seminars university orientation
- Educational workshops and modeling
- Visit to the Museum and Factory
The students are selected across Italy, within the students enrolled in the fourth
and fifth year of secondary school degree and that in the school year in progress
acceded to the activities of the PLS (Scientific Degrees Plan) in the area of "Physics"
and / or "Mathematics and Statistics".
30
During the summer school, company tutors, and teachers, of the University of
Modena and Reggio Emilia, supervise the students.
Objectives of the Summer School:
- Deepening the principles of mechanics and thermodynamics with applications to
the motorcycle;
- Introduce the basics of modeling in science;
- Provide tools for problem solving with examples applied to the world of the
motorcycle;
- Offer opportunities to meet with teachers and personalities in the field of
scientific disciplines.
Registration is free. The costs of room and
board for students will be borne by the
organization, except travel expenses to be
borne by the participants.
At the end of the Summer School the
students receive a certificate of
participation.
Relationship company-training agency/VET provider and management of incoming
students:
Both “Fisica in Moto Laboratory and Summer School” proposals have been drawn
directly from Ducati, but have been realized thanks to the contribution of teachers
of the Liceo Malpighi of Bologna and the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia,
and still they participate in particular in the activities of the Summer School.
In the case of the laboratory, at the time of booking, support material is provided to
the teacher, to be developed in the classroom.
Joint design/planning of training path:
Every year customer satisfaction questionnaires are submitted to teachers who
bring their classes in the laboratory, in order to identify the critical aspects and
strengths of the structure made available.
31
Implementation: Relation’s company-VET provider during project implementation
Not pertinent
SWOT Analysis:
Strengths
The Fisica in Moto laboratory is promoted by private-public agreements (the
Ministry of Education, University and Research, Confindustria, and Ducati
Foundation).
Both projects are inserted as part of the National Scientific Degrees Plan, wich
allows for visibility throughout Italy through a widespread network of relationships.
Unique experience in its kind in Italy also because it includes a visit to a company
recognized worldwide.
Gratuitousness of both the laboratory and the Summer School.
Weaknesses
As weaknesses can be seen the short duration of the Summer School.
Opportunities
The network of institutes and companies involved in the National Scientific Degrees
Plan can be an opportunity for further developments.
Threats
Ducati Foundation would like to be able to host more than the actual limit that is
8000 schools per year.
We are not aware of any kind of evaluation regarding the impact of the
participation in the laboratory has had on the student.
Students’ Skills:
This experience can be seen as guide orientation for the student to increase the
interest in scientific issues and pursuit physical studies.
32
Cooperation company-VET institute/training agency on other projects/initiatives:
Ducati Motor Holding SpA is involved in a brand new project called DESI (Dual
Education System Italy) together with Automobili Lamborghini SpA and the
technical institute “Aldini Valeriani Sirani” of Bologna, lauched in the years
2014/2015 and 2015/2016.
DESI is a two-year training program, made in agreement with the Region of Emilia
Romagna and the Ministry of Education, dedicated to 48 young candidates to be
held by alternating periods of training in two technical institutes, Aldini Valeriani
and Belluzzi-Fioravanti, and periods of training on the job at the Training Center of
two large companies such as Ducati Motor Holding SpA and Automobili
Lamborghini SpA.
Key messages and recommendations:
• There has been a close cooperation between companies, colleges and
university to create the laboratory and the teaching materials
• Fisica in Moto laboratory is an opportunity for every class of student that is
interested in experience science and technology museums
• Fisica in Moto is part of Scientific Degree Plan
33
Reference to EU programmes/initiatives, funding streams
In 2013, the 76,7% of the ASL projects implemented by Italian high schools, used
resources of the Ministry of Education. The total amount provided by the Ministry
decreased from 26.8 million in 2012 to 20.6 million in the school year 2013.
The 9.4% of the total funds are specific resource of the school institute, that
schools can use for projects of alternation financed entirely by the schools
themselves.
3,8% of the resourced are adopted from regional funds.
Private funds are growing: 3.4 %
Only the 0.8% of the schools uses the Funds from the Ministry of Labor and the
resources of ESF (European social fund).
Evaluation, feedback, reports on success. Advantages and disadvantages
Statistics of Alternance Training (ASL) in Italy
The monitoring of 2013- 2014 school year, carried out by Indire (the National
Institute of documentation, Innovation and Educational Research), reveals that Italy
has a very low share of young people involved in work-based learning.
Only the 10,7% of the italian student population had a schoolwork experience, and
the average number of training hours per year outside school is 72,1.
In particular, the percentage of students that had an alternating schoolwork
program are:
• 21,6% of the students attending vocational institutes
• 8,1 % of the students of technical schools
• 2,2% of the students attending Licei
Moreover, the monitoring detects that the ASL paths show very different
characteristics, in terms of length, internal articulation, type of internship, users,
resources involved, arrangements for the evaluation and certification costs when
planned.
The experiences activated in schools are characterized by a great
differentiation of the offer, which is only partly affected by the different socio34
economic realities, but that seems very centered on the organizational model of
each school and each teacher involved in the ASL project.
Everything seems to recall the need, for actions and tools, to make the various
experiences in the individual territories as a system.
Italy strengths, weaknesses and areas of improvement
Looking at youth unemployment that has doubled since 2007, reaching 43.3 % in
October 2014 and NEETs percentage that reached 26% in 2013, it is difficult to find
Italy strengths in education-to-employment system.
The greatest gap employers report is in hands-on experience.
Only 10,7% of the italian student population infact, had a schoolwork experience in
the last school year, and the time reserved towards work experience and integrated
activities is limited from 5-20% of the average time of the school calendar.
The monitor of industry professional needs of Excelsior Unioncamere, in the period
2011-2013, recorded a strong mismatch between skills developed from schools,
and skills required by the business world (See: Sistema informativo Excelsior 2013. La
domanda di professioni e formazione delle imprese italiane ).
In absolute terms, 42,7% of the recruitment difficulties, referred to inadeguacy, are
due to a lack of an adequate training and job preparation.
Human capital development in not considered as an investment. Italian
government expenditure on education as a share of GDP corresponding to 4.2% in
2012. It is among the lowest in the EU.
2014 McKinsey’s report on “Eucation to employment. Getting Europe Youth into
work” highlights important correlations (See: McKinsey's Education to employment. Getting
Europe Youth into work. Full report).
The overriding theme in Italy is that information gaps are significant.
Communication and information between School and Enterprise needs to improve,
to boost education providers to teach the skills that employers require, and allow
35
youth to make good decisions.
Only 26% of Italian secondary-school students say they receive sufficient
information on post-secondary fields of study and only 19% say they receive
sufficient information on career opportunities related to fields of study.
Moreover, employers and providers have very different perceptions.
A consistence portion of education providers in Italy, (72%) think that youths have
the skills they need when they finish school while only 42 % of employers agree.
National and international benchmarking and mutual learning become essential.
Our research found that the “schoolwork training Guidelines”, of Marche Region,
goes back to the root of the communication gap: “The world of the school and the
business world are using, since too much time, different languages, concepts and
words”.
Marche Region has the commitment to support a mutual interaction between
school system and the economic sector, to develop a culture of "networks
synergies".
The need of a mutal understanding between the business world and the school
system is considered essential for the cooperation between two complementary
environments, both of them essential for the youngsters educational and
professional development.
”…The school, like the enterprise, is a "community of people". Both have at the
center, the human resource, for this reason they must dialog, understand each other
and work together. Both entities work for a social purpose: the school for the culture
and education…. and the company for the professionalism, the employment and the
wealth creation… “.
To foster the mutual understanding between the two systems, Marche Region has
developed a special glossary of business concept for the schoolteachers and a
glossary of educational terms for companies. Disseminating nationally this glossary
could be a useful tool to reduce communication gaps.
The case study of Loccioni Group, the open knowledge company based in Marche
Region, helps us with its collaborative model to build a system that works for
36
everyone, where effective collaboration can create excellent outcomes for everyone
concerned.
• Lifelong learning approach (See: Bluzone-Redzone-Silverzone-Spin-Off)
• Time and financial investment in development of human capital
• Dinamic feedback and open interaction with the local community, especially
with the educational system
• Schoolwork projects based on real world/business problems and analysis of
local and concrete issues
• Multidisciplinary collaborative teamwork interactions offered to students
• Development of communicational and relational ability in students to
disseminate results to the educational local community, families and schools
networks
• Development of “intra-entrepreneurship” skills and attitudes and high sense
of responsability in students through “Classe Virtuale” the schoolwork
program.
Let’s wish to the Italian education-to-employment stakeholders to develop
Loccioni‘s Group “command attitude”: “...the manager’s competence capable to
delegate and trust in the team” to help in building a system of "networks
synergies" that works for everyone, where effective collaboration and mutual
understanding between business world and the school system can create excellent
outcomes for everyone.
To conclude, in the following chapter we are honoured to present Bittor Arias
Rodriguez ‘s paper entitled “Why do we like Loccioni Group?”.
Thanks Bittor for your contribution, it helps us in widespreading the “seeds of
beauty” of Loccioni Group.
37
Bittor Arias Rodriguez (TKNIKA- EAEko Lanbide Heziketarako Berrikuntza
Zentroa) Basque Country.
Why do we like Loccioni Group?
The case of Loccioni Group is amazing. Just a look at their website http://www.loccioni.com/?lang=en - or a small reference from someone who has visited
them is enough to realize that this is an out of the box company.
We know there are people committed to the neighbour who demonstrates a
remarkable scale of values, leading them to behave usually with a large degree of
empathy towards the others.
What is happening here is that we expect to find such people in NGOs, in
Development Assistance Organizations, in Religious Orders (such as the aid workers
and missioners who have lost their lives while helping others to overcome Ebola in
Africa) as well as in similar philanthropic groups.
But we do not expect to find this kind of behaviour inside the business world.
According to what we have seen and known, we find it just natural for employers and
people dedicated to industry or business to seek, in their professional spaces, basically
his own benefit, independently of the civic attitudes or the significant social concerns in
their own daily lives.
We find it weird, surprising even, striking that from time to time, less frequently that
we would like, we come across experiences such as that of Loccioni Group, which
immediately causes surprise and admiration.
On the other hand, especially in time of crisis, it also leads us to wonder if similar
initiatives would be possible, another business management style, which makes us
confident that, a different economic development is feasible.
Because the point in here is precisely that the approach to management in Loccioni,
their set of values, with such creative and innovative initiatives, that interest for the
environment, that respect for history and traditions, that concern for people, not just
for their workers (Red Zone), but for the young ones (Blu Zone), for the elder (Silver
Zone) and, finally, their peculiar corporate culture are key factors leading Loccioni to
be a world reference, a model admired and respected. Because it demonstrates that it
is possible to do business with that management style, being at the same time an
example and an inspiration for others.
38
Hence they receive frequent visitors, many books about their case have already been
written, and references to their activities are prevalent in the press.
When in our innovation management models we talked about the need to create
enabling environments for innovation and entrepreneurship in the companies, when
we state that it is essential to consider cultural factors such as attitudes, behaviours,
values and the organizational structure to facilitate the implementation of innovation,
we are referring to cases like this one. That’s why to get to know it pleases us that
much. It confirms us that, as we see in some other "open" companies, this is indeed a
good role model, worth considering.
If we think a bit about this and keep in mind what Loccioni himself tells us about his
experience, we realize that if there are not many examples like this one in the Marches
region is because there are no such businessmen among us. Most current businessmen
do not share Loccioni’s values. They are based certainly on different experiences and
their approaches when setting up business also vary, they have different desires, visions
and goals.
To get to that stage where an entrepreneur like Loccioni is, with that innovative and
creative approach, so optimistic, so humanistic and supportive, he would have
previously lived, during his childhood or youth, in a family and cultural environment
where the values that he promotes now - a strong will, tenacity, moderation, simplicity,
solidarity, family responsibility, respect for traditions, etc.,- were also prevailing, till
indelibly mark the character of a person for ever.
Having a role model like Loccioni is not easy. Circumstances conducive to the
emergence of similar souls must be previously set up. Someone who has lived or lives
immersed in a job insecurity environment, economic crisis, institutional corruption,
social disregard and lack of environmental concern, can hardly become a champion of
values unknown for him, values he is not familiar with because they are uncommon in
his daily life.
The learning lesson from the experience of the Loccioni Group is: Yes! Another type
of business is possible, different from the ones we usually meet, only concerned with
short-term benefits, denying labour rights, reducing labour force and wages. These
enterprises are not what we need or wish, despite their likely success in the short time.
To overcome crisis in Europe we need, first of all, courage, imagination and creativity,
39
and secondly, personal conviction and commitment to higher values and shared goals,
conducive to a sustainable economic benefit, setting up the right conditions to make it
happens, along with employees, partners, customers and competitors.
For this reason, we must demand our organizations and governments to enhance
attitudes and behaviours that enable ethical and cultural environments in our society,
where entrepreneurial and talented people can emerge and lead the Europe on the
path of mutual understanding, sustainable progress and knowledge.
October 2014
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